BBC NEWS | Europe | History of train tunnel tragedies Tuesday, 18 February, 2003, 15:37 GMT History of train tunnel tragedies The Paris attacks left eight dead and 200 injured The deadly subway arson in South Korea is the latest mass loss of life from accidents and attacks on trains in tunnels around the world. Correspondents say mass-transit subway systems generally have excellent safety records, but the presence of large numbers of people in enclosed spaces can hamper rescues efforts when problems do occur. South Korean arson Many people were trapped in carriages engulfed in smoke and flames More than 100 people are now known to have died in flames and smoke after a man apparently set fire to flammable liquid inside a station in Daegu, South Korea. Many of the victims were trapped in carriages unable to escape, while the thousands of rescuers who rushed to the city-centre station had to battle the heat and fumes. The intensity of the fire - which began at the tail end of the morning rush hour on 18 February 2003 - left victims' bodies charred and entangled with each other, rescuers said.

Austrian inferno Only 12 people survived a blaze inside a funicular train in the Austrian ski resort of Kaprun in November 2000. A total of 155 people - most of them skiers - died when the fire started, possibly triggered by a faulty electric heater. Victims were trapped inside the carriages of the train which was 600 metres into the 3.2-kilometre-long (two-mile-long) mountain tunnel when the fire started. Prosecutors later blamed a "mosaic of mistakes" for the fire itself and the trouble encountered by people trying to escape and the rescuers who were trying to reach them. In July 1995, the French capital's rail system was hit repeatedly by bombers. The worst attack happened on 25 July at the Saint-Michel suburban railway (RER) station. A gas bottle packed with explosives and nails was detonated, causing horrific injuries to many passengers. Other devices were planted at the Maison Blanche metro and Musee d'Orsay RER stations. In all, eight people died and more than 200 were injured.

Two members of the Algerian Armed Islamic Group were found guilty of taking part in the attacks and jailed for life. Tokyo attack Poison gas was pumped into the Tokyo subway Four months earlier, in March 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo released sarin gas into the subway system of Japan's capital. Twelve people died and about 5,000 more were taken ill as the nerve agent spread. Several members of the cult were subsequently convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Read more here Azerbaijan bombs In 1994, the metro system of Baku, the capital city of the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, came under attack. In separate incidents several months apart, bombs were detonated on trains. The attacks, blamed on a northern separatist group, left at least 20 dead and scores injured. London fire A discarded match was blamed for the blaze in London's King's Cross underground station which killed 31 people in November 1987. King's Cross escalators caught fire, trapping people underground Hundreds of commuters were using the key interchange station when the fire broke out towards the end of the evening rush hour. Wooden escalators caught fire, trapping passengers underground.

The heat was so intense that it damaged concrete walls and fire officers took hours to bring the blaze under control. On This Day: King's Cross fire Moorgate crash The worst London Underground disaster happened on 28 February 1975 when a train failed to stop and smashed into a dead-end tunnel. The cause of the crash - which killed 43 people - remains unknown. The train failed to stop but the driver had been in good health and had not taken any alcohol or drugs. He was known as a careful and conscientious driver. About 70 other passengers were also injured in the crash which left the front three carriages crushed into the rear of the train. Japan profile - Timeline - BBC News Japan profile - Timeline Close share panel A chronology of key events: 1853 - US fleet forces Japan to open up to foreign influence after over 200 years of self-imposed isolation. 1868 - End of centuries of rule by Shogun military caste, Empire of Japan proclaimed, and country enters period of rapid industrialisation and trading dominance over East Asia. 1894-95 - Japan goes to war with China, and its better-equipped forces win victory in just nine months.

China cedes Taiwan and permits Japan to trade on mainland. Capital: Tokyo Quake-prone Tokyo lies at the intersection of continental plates Comprises the 'shi' (inner city) and 'to' (metropolis) Population: 12.4 million (2003 estimate) 1904 - Japan becomes first Asian country in modern times to defeat an European power when it routs Russia in Manchuria. 1910 - Japan annexes Korea after three years of fighting, becoming one of the world's leading powers. 1914 - Japan joins World War I on the side of Britain and her allies, gaining some Pacific islands from Germany at the end of the war. 1918-1922 - Japan tries to establish buffer zone against Bolshevik regime in Russia's Pacific provinces, forced out by British and US diplomatic pressure and domestic opposition. 1923 - Earthquake in Tokyo region kills more than 100,000 people. British Empire ends 21-year alliance with Japan, signalling Western and US apprehension of Japan's growing power in East Asia. 1925 - Universal male suffrage is instituted. The electorate increases fivefold.

Ultra-nationalism and war Late 1920s - Extreme nationalism begins to take hold in Japan as world economic depression hits. The emphasis is on a preservation of traditional Japanese values, and a rejection of "Western" influence. World's oldest monarchy Royal birth sparks succession debate 1931 - Japanese army invades Chinese province of Manchuria, installs puppet regime. 1932 - Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi killed during failed coup by nationalist army officers. Military holds increasing influence in the country. 1936 - Japan signs alliance with Nazi Germany. 1937 - Japan goes to war with China, capturing Shanghai, Beijing and Nanjing amid atrocities like the "Rape of Nanjing", in which up to 300,000 Chinese civilians were killed. 1939 - Outbreak of Second World War in Europe. With fall of France in 1940, Japan moves to occupy French Indo-China. Attack on Pearl Harbor 1941 - Japan launches a surprise attack on US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. US and main allies declare war on Japan. 1942 - Japan occupies succession of countries, including Philippines, Dutch East Indies, Burma and Malaya.

In June, US aircraft carriers defeat the Japanese at the Battle of Midway. The US begins a strategy of "'island-hopping", cutting the Japanese support lines as its forces advance. 1944 - US forces are near enough to Japan to start bombing raids on Japanese cities. Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1945: Atom bomb hits Nagasaki 1945 - US planes drop two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August. Emperor Hirohito surrenders and relinquishes divine status. Japan placed under US military government. All Japanese military and naval forces disbanded. 1947 - New constitution comes into force, establishes parliamentary system with all adults eligible to vote. Japan renounces war and pledges not to maintain land, sea or air forces for that purpose. Emperor granted ceremonial status. 1951 - Japan signs peace treaty with US and other nations. To this day, there is no peace treaty with Russia, as the legal successor to the Soviet Union. Independence 1952 - Japan regains independence. US retains several islands for military use, including Okinawa. 1955 - Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) formed.

Apart from brief interludes, party governs into 21st century. 1956 - Japan joins United Nations. 1964 - Olympic Games held in Tokyo. 1972 - Japanese prime minister visits China and normal diplomatic relations are resumed. Japan subsequently closes embassy in Taiwan. Okinawa is returned to Japanese sovereignty, but US retains bases there. 1982 - Japanese car firm Honda opens its first plant in the US. 1989 - Emperor Hirohito dies, succeeded by Akihito. Aum Shinrikyo cult 1993 July - Elections held against a background of bribery scandals and economic decline see the LDP ousted for the first time since 1955. A seven-party coalition takes power. 1993 August - Government issues historic "Kono statement" apologising for Japanese military's war-time use of sex slaves. 1994 - The anti-LDP coalition collapses. An administration supported by the LDP and the Socialists takes over. Natural and man-made disasters 1995 January - An earthquake hits central Japan, killing thousands and causing widespread damage. The city of Kobe is hardest hit.

1995 March - A religious sect, Aum Shinrikyo, releases the deadly nerve gas sarin on the Tokyo underground railway system. Twelve people are killed and thousands are injured. Rape of a local schoolgirl by US servicemen based on Okinawa sparks mass protests demanding the removal of US forces from the island. 1997 - The economy enters a severe recession. 2001 March - A Japanese court overturns compensation order for Korean women forced to work as sex slaves during WW II. Koizumi at helm 2001 April - Junichiro Koizumi becomes new LDP leader and prime minister. 2001 April - Trade dispute with China after Japan imposes import tariffs on Chinese agricultural products. China retaliates with import taxes on Japanese vehicles and other manufactured goods. 2001 August- Koizumi pays homage at the Yasukuni shrine dedicated to the country's war dead, provoking protests from Japan's neighbours. The memorial also honours war criminals. Yasukuni shrine Japan's controversial shrine 2001 October - Koizumi visits Seoul and offers an apology for the suffering South Korea endured under his country's colonial rule.

2002 September - Koizumi becomes the first Japanese leader to visit North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il apologises for abductions of Japanese citizens in 1970s and 1980s and confirms that eight of them are dead. Five Japanese nationals return home. 2003 December - Government announces decision to install "purely defensive" US-made missile shield. Iraq deployment 2004 February - Non-combat soldiers arrive in Iraq in first Japanese deployment in combat zone since World War II. 2005 September - PM Koizumi wins a landslide victory in early general elections. 2006 July - The last contingent of Japanese troops leaves Iraq. Abe takes over 2006 September - Shinzo Abe succeeds Junichiro Koizumi as prime minister. 2006 December - Parliament approves the creation of a fully-fledged defence ministry, the first since World War II. 2007 April - Wen Jiabao becomes first Chinese prime minister to address the Japanese parliament. Mr Wen says both sides have succeeded in warming relations.

2007 August - On the 62nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, almost the entire cabinet stays away from the Yasukuni shrine. Prime Minister Abe says he has no plans to visit the shrine for as long as the issue continues to be a diplomatic problem. Abe steps down 2007 September - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigns, is replaced by Yasuo Fukuda. Shinto religion 2008 June - Japan and China reach a deal for the joint development of a gas field in the East China Sea, resolving a four-year-old dispute. 2008 September - Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda resigns. Former foreign minister Taro Aso appointed as new premier. 2008 November - General Toshio Tamogami, head of Japan's air force, loses his job after writing an essay seeking to justify Japan's role in the second world war. 2009 February - Economics Minister Kaoru Yosano says Japan is facing worst economic crisis since World War II, after figures show its economy shrank by 3.3% in last quarter.

LDP defeated 2009 August - Opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) wins general election by a landslide, ending more than 50 years of nearly unbroken rule by the Liberal Democratic Party. 2009 September - DPJ leader Yukio Hatoyama elected PM at head of coalition with Social Democratic Party and People's New Party. Futenma: Controversial base 2010 June - Prime Minister Hatoyama quits over failure to close US military base on Okinawa. Finance Minister Naoto Kan takes over. 2010 July - Ruling coalition loses majority in elections to the upper house of parliament. Economic woes 2011 February - Japan is overtaken by China as world's second-largest economy. 2011 March - Huge offshore earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastate miles of shoreline. Damage to the Fukushima nuclear plant causes a radiation leak that leaves extensive areas uninhabitable and contaminates food supplies. 2011 August - Following severe criticism of his handling of the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, Prime Minister Naoto Kan steps down. He is succeeded by Yoshihiko Noda.

2011 December - The government announces a relaxation of Japan's self-imposed ban on arms exports. It says the move will allow the country to supply military equipment for humanitarian missions. 2012 June - The lower house of parliament approves a bill to double sales tax, in order to make up the income tax shortfall caused by an ageing population. The governing Democratic Party splits, but retains its lower house majority. 2012 July - Japan restarts the Ohi nuclear reactor, the first since the meltdown at the Fukushima power plant last year, amid local protests. Islands rows 2012 August - Japan's economic growth slows to 0.3% from 1% in the second quarter as eurozone crisis hits exports and domestic consumption. Japan recalls its ambassador to Seoul in protest at a visit to the Liancourt Rocks by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. Both countries claim the islets, which Japan calls Takeshima and South Korea calls Dokdo.

2012 September - China cancels ceremonies to mark the 40th anniversary of restored diplomatic relations with Japan because of a public flare-up in a dispute over ownership of a group of islands in the East China Sea administered by Japan as the Senkaku Islands and claimed by China as the Diaoyu Islands. Taiwan also claims the islands. Abe returns 2012 December - Opposition conservative Liberal Democratic Party wins landslide in early parliamentary elections. Former prime minister Shinzo Abe forms government on pledge of stimulating economic growth. 2013 May - Exports rise 10.1% - the fastest annual rate since 2010 - thanks to weaker yen, boosting Prime Minister Abe's economic recovery plan. 2013 July - Prime Minister Abe's coalition wins upper house elections, giving him control of both houses of parliament - a first for a prime minister in six years. 2013 September - Tokyo is chosen to host the 2020 Olympics. New security strategy 2013 December - Japan approves the relocation of a US military airbase on its southern island of Okinawa.

The base, which houses over 25,000 US troops, will be relocated to a less densely populated part of the island. Japan's cabinet approves a new national security strategy and increased defence spending in a move widely seen as aimed at China. 2014 July - Japan's government approves a landmark change in security policy, paving the way for its military to fight overseas. A judicial panel recommends that three former executives of the TEPCO utility - which runs the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant - be indicted on criminal charges for their role in the 2011 disaster. 2014 December - The LDP-led government retains its large parliamentary majority in snap elections called by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to seek a fresh mandate for his economic policies, after Japan's economy slips back into recession mid-year. 2015 February - Economy re-emerges from recession in last quarter of 2014, although growth remains sluggish. 2015 July - Lower house of parliament backs bills allowing troops to fight overseas for first time since Second World War, prompting protests at home and criticism from China.

2015 August - Japan restarts first nuclear reactor at Sendai plant, under new safety rules following 2011 Fukushima disaster. 2016 April - At least 44 people die and more than 1,000 are injured as a result of two major earthquakes on the southern island of Kyushu. These and major aftershocks also leave at least 100,000 people displaced. 2016 August - Emperor Akihito indicates his readiness to abdicate in a rare video message to public. 2016 October - Emperor Akihito's uncle Prince Mikasa dies of heart failure at the age of 100. What Were the Worst Subway Attacks in History? What Were the Worst Subway Attacks in History? By Denise Chow, Sci-Tech Editor | March 29, 2010 08:18am ET MORE image of new york subway train. Credit: stock.xchng Monday's twin suicide bombing attacks in two of Moscow's busy subway stations mark the latest in a history of deadly subway attacks around the world. The large number of people in one enclosed place can make these types of terrorist attacks particularly catastrophic.

Here are some of the worst subway attacks in history: Moscow – March 29, 2010 Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up during the morning's rush-hour commute, killing at least 37 people and wounding 65 more. The explosions, which took place at the Lubyanka station in Central Moscow and the Park Kultury station, were the Russian capital's first subway terrorist attacks since the last confirmed attacks in 2004. Russian officials are blaming Monday's attack on rebels from the Caucasus region at the border of Europe and Asia. London – July 7, 2005 In what is considered London's worst terrorist attack, the city's public transportation system suffered a series of coordinated suicide attacks. That morning, three bombers detonated themselves in three of London's Underground trains, before a fourth explosion occurred on a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square an hour later. The attacks were carried out by four British Muslim men, who were motivated by their opposition to England's involvement in the Iraq War. The attacks killed 52 people and resulted in injuries to approximately 700 other victims.

Madrid – March 11, 2004 A series of coordinated attacks on Madrid's commuter train system killed 191 people and wounded 1,800. During the morning attacks, 10 explosions took place onboard four commuter trains. The Spanish Judiciary launched an official investigation and determined the attacks had been carried out by an al Qaeda-inspired terrorist cell, and in 2007, Moroccan national Jamal Zougam was found guilty of carrying out the attack. Moscow – February 6, 2004 In one of Moscow's most serious subway attacks, a male suicide bomber killed 41 people near the Avtozavodskaya subway station in Moscow. Approximately 120 people were injured in the incident on Moscow's metro. President Vladimir Putin blamed the attack on Chechen separatists before a previously unknown Chechen terrorist group, calling itself Gazoton Murdash, claimed responsibility for the bombing. South Korea – February 18, 2003 An arson attack on South Korea's Daegu Metropolitan Subway killed close to 200 people and injured 147.

A man set fire to flammable liquid inside the Jungangno station at the tail end of morning rush hour, trapping passengers within the subway carriages. The arsonist was identified as Kim Dae-han, a 56-year-old former taxi driver who had suffered a stroke in 2001 and had since suffered from depression. Paris – July 1995 Paris' capital rail system suffered repeated bombing attacks that killed eight people and injured over 200. The bombings were carried out by members of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), who were attempting to broaden the Algerian Civil War into France. The worst attack occurred on July 25, 1995 at the Saint-Michel suburban railway (RER) station. Gas bottles that had been packed with explosives and nails were detonated in the station. Other explosives were also planted at the Maison Blanche metro and Musée d'Orsay RER stations. Tokyo – March 20, 1995 Tokyo suffered an attack of domestic terrorism on the city's subway system, perpetrated by members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult.

In five coordinated attacks, members of Aum Shinrikyo released sarin, a toxic nerve agent, inside subway cars on several lines of the Tokyo metro. The sarin attack killed 15 people, severely injured 50, and caused temporary vision problems for thousands more. The incident, which was the most serious attack to occur on Japanese soil since the end of World War II, was directed against trains passing through two districts that were home to the Japanese government. Azerbaijan – July 3, 1994 The metro system in Baku, the capital city of the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, suffered an attack that killed 13 and injured 42 people. Authorities accused northern separatist groups and Armenian special services of conducting the attack.

Fight, Fight, Fight: The History of Human Aggression 10 Events That Changed History The Sarin Gas Attack in Japan and the Related Forensic Investigation The Sarin Gas Attack in Japan and the Related Forensic Investigation Friday, 01 June 2001 By: Dr Yasuo Seto Lethal nerve gas attacks in the city of Matsumoto in 1994, and in the Tokyo subway system in 1995, led to the deaths of 19 people, as well as to a large number of injuries. These attacks caused great shock, in that they constituted an illegal use of chemical warfare agents against a defenceless public. These acts of terrorism were carried out by the members of Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese doomsday cult.The Japanese police had to cope with a new type of organised crime. In Japan, the Aum Shinrikyo cult released the chemical agent sarin in a terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway. About five thousand people became sick and a dozen were killed. The Chemistry Section of the National Research Institute of Police Science (NRIPS) has been engaged in forensic investigations of both incidents.

The NRIPS is an institute attached to the National Police Agency, and is engaged in research and development as it relates to police activity, in the identification and analysis of criminal evidence, as well as in the training of scientists in local forensic science laboratories.This article describes the Sarin gas attacks, and outlines the subsequent related forensic efforts which contributed both to the understanding of how to manage the consequences of chemical terrorism, and also to the entire criminal investigation,which culminated in trials in a court of law.There is also a brief discussion of how police efforts involved cooperation on both domestic and international levels. Sarin Gas Attacks and Aum Shinrikyo Aum Shinrikyo was established by Shoko Asahara, and it disseminated a unique doctrine. It taught that one could kill another human being who continues to commit evil deeds, and is thus destined to go to hell. This killing benefits both the killers and the one who is killed. The leader Asahara prophesied the coming of Armageddon. After failing to win support in the 1989 general election, the cult transformed itself into a terrorist group that produced arms and toxic gases.

While expanding its influence in Japan, Aum also set up branch offices overseas in the United States, Germany and Sri Lanka. In Russia, it is said that over 30,000 people joined the cult. Aum secretly plotted to buy arms and drugs, and sent its members for training in shooting. Aum also opened affiliated business firms in Sri Lanka and Taiwan. In Australia, the cult purchased a farm, manufactured chemicals, and tested the chemicals on sheep. The South Australian Forensic Science Laboratory detected Sarin hydrolysis products from soils and sheep wool, and informed the Japanese police about the results of their detection. The nerve gas attacks occurred within a one-year period, from 1994 to 1995. In addition to the Matsumoto and Tokyo subway Sarin incidents, there were several other antipersonnel incidents of terrorism. The interrogation of the arrested suspects revealed that they had used VX, Sarin, and hydrogen cyanide in their murders and in their attempted murders, and forensic examinations support these conclusions. In 1993, the leader Asahara directed his cult members to begin the mass production of Sarin, and in November 1993, they had succeeded in synthesising it.

In a trial run, the cult successfully sprayed Sarin gas in Matsumoto, and so a chemical plant for Sarin production was started in the autumn of 1994. The cult also succeeded in synthesising a VX-agent. However, police investigators suspected that the Matsumoto Sarin incident had been committed by the cult.Aware that the police were conducting a criminal investigation, the cult stopped running its chemical plants in early 1995, and tried to hide the evidence. The act of nerve gas terrorism occurred in a quiet residential area in the city of Matsumoto in Nagano. At 11:30 p.m., the Matsumoto police station received an urgent report from the ambulance team of the city Fire Defence Bureau, informing them that some patients had been transported to the hospital. The police immediately began to rescue the injured, and they began to conduct investigations. Many injured people were suffering from ocular pain, and from numbness of the hands.The next day, dead fish and crayfish were found in a pond near the scene. The carcasses of dogs, sparrows, a dove, and a large number of caterpillars were found under some trees.

Trees and grass on the scene were observed withering, and the colour of the leaves had changed. Nearly all the casualties were discovered in a sector-shaped residential area, within a radius of 150 metres from the centre, near the pond. People near open windows, or in air-conditioned rooms, were severely exposed to toxins. Some victims had seen a fog with a pungent and irritating smell floating by very slowly. But the cause of the deaths and the poisonings remained a mystery for the first two days. Five dead residents were discovered in their apartments, and two died in the hospital immediately after admission. A total of 274 people were treated in the hospital. Typical symptoms included darkened vision, ocular pain, nausea, miosis, and a decrease in serum cholinesterase (ChE) activities. Autopsy findings showed intense post-mortem lividity, miosis, pulmonary edema, increased bronchial secretion, and congestion of the parenchymatous organs.

The Nagano police investigation headquarters assumed that the causative toxic gases originated near the pond, and the police staff of the Identification Section performed an on-site inspection to gather evidence samples.The cult members had sprayed the Sarin at 10:40 p.m., and the Matsumoto police station was informed fifty minutes later. A routine analysis of on-site samples by the Nagano Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) failed to find any toxic substances. Three days later, the Nagano FSL and the Nagano Public Health Institute detected Sarin in pond water samples, and the NRIPS confirmed this finding. One week later, police investigation headquarters announced the results to the press. We performed a toxicological analysis of the crime scene evidence samples sent from the Nagano FSL.The forensic elucidation of the causative substance 'Sarin' crucially helped the Criminal Investigation Section in their search for possible suspects. The act of terrorism involving Sarin occurred in the center of metropolitan Tokyo two months after the great Hanshin Awaji earthquake. Inside the trains on three subway lines during the peak of the morning rush hour, on March 20th 1995, a large number of passengers and station personnel suffered toxic effects from an unknown gas.

Some people escaped from the trains themselves, and went to the hospital, but many victims were in need of immediate medical treatment. The patients complained of ocular pain and vomiting. So many patients rushed to nearby hospitals, that the hospital staff panicked and could not adequately cope with dispensing medical care.Twelve passengers and station personnel were killed, and approximately 5000 people were injured. Typical symptoms included darkened vision, ocular pain, nausea, miosis, hyperaemia, and nosebleeds. The autopsy findings were almost the same as those in the Matsumoto Sarin incident. In cooperation with the Metropolitan Fire Department, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) immediately started to carry out rescue operations, to conduct traffic control, and to investigate the incidents. Wearing protective suits and gas masks, police investigators proceeded to the dangerous crime scene. On-site evidence samples, such as containers, newspapers, and other remains were collected, and immediately transported to the FSL of the MPD.The liquid had been released from plastic bags at passengers, who were exposed to the toxic gas. Sarin was released separately in five subway cars at 8 a.m.

Early on, the first responses from the Metropolitan Fire Department mistakenly announced that acetonitrile had been detected. At 10 a.m., the Tokyo FSL, using laboratory gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), detected Sarin in a crime scene sample.This speedy result was possible because of the prior experience, which had been acquired during the Matsumoto Sarin incident.At 11 a.m., the Criminal Investigation Department announced the detection of Sarin to the press.The Defence Agency quickly responded to this incident, and helped the police to perform an on-site inspection and to carry out a decontamination of any poisoned sites. For the previous ten years, the cult had started to construct facilities in a rural area of Yamanashi refecture near Mt. Fuji. In July 1994, just after the Matsumoto Sarin incident, inhabitants in the vicinity of a cult facility reported foul smells.A criminal investigation team from the Matsumoto Sarin incident analysed the chemical process for the synthesis of Sarin, and found that dummy companies operating on behalf of the cult had purchased large quantities of chemical raw materials.

In addition, a Sarin hydrolysis product was detected and removed for forensic investigation from the soils taken near the site of the foul smell. The criminal investigators then began to strongly suspect the cult. Police secretly searched cult facilities, but before the search took place, the cult carried out the Tokyo subway Sarin gas attack. Two days after the Sarin incident, a simultaneous raid of Aum facilities was launched by 2500 police in connection with the imprisonment of a notary public manager who had died while being detained. To help cope with the Sarin release, the Defence Agency provided the police investigators with anti- toxic gas suits and masks.The search uncovered a large amount of chemicals, including phosphorus trichloride, as well as a chemical plant in the No.7 Satian building. Outside the building, there were many pipes connected to the plants; inside the building, various types of equipment needed for manufacturing chemicals were found.The criminal investigation led the police to strongly suspect that Sarin was being produced.The police identification section gathered evidence samples from various reaction bottles.The NRIPS conducted a chemical examination of the on-site samples, and thus was involved in all the various aspects of this Sarin manufacturing case.

Almost all the cult perpetrators were arrested within the next two months. Forensic Investigation The special nature of nerve gases slowed down police efforts in connection with the Sarin incidents. First, nerve gases are subject to the law on the Ban of Chemical Weapons and the Regulation of Specific Substances (in force since 1995). Second, nerve gases are highly toxic, and are lethal in trace amounts, making them difficult to detect; they are also difficult to detect because they evaporate very rapidly. Third, they are volatile, and the handling of samples requires special caution. Fourth, nerve gases decompose easily in a body and in the environment. It is necessary to identify the degradation products. Sarin, soman, tabun and VX are representatives of organophosphorus types of chemical warfare agents. They invade the body through the skin, and are extremely toxic, given that they strongly inhibit cholinesterases. The physicochemical properties of nerve gases vary. Sarin is volatile and easily hydrolysed in water, whereas VX is not volatile and is rather resistant to hydrolysis.

Because of their extremely lethal nature, it is sometimes impossible to detect nerve gases or their hydrolysis products in a victim's samples.Therefore, a decrease in blood cholinesterase activity is a good index of exposure to nerve gases. Nerve gases can be analysed by GC/MS. Retention indices are useful indicators in identifying chemical warfare agents. Wiped samples and soils are extracted with both dichloromethane and water at neutral pH. Blood samples are deproteinised with perchloric acid, and the resulting supernatants are adjusted to neutrality, and extracted with dichloromethane. Nerve gases, synthetic intermediates and by-products are extracted into the organic solvent fraction, and after concentration under mild conditions, the residue is analysed by GC/MS using an apolar capillary column DB-5, and a multi-step temperature programme starting at 45°C. The hydrolysis products of nerve gases are extracted into the aqueous fraction, and after derivatisation, are analysed by GC/MS. In water, nerve gases are easily hydrolysed and produce characteristic methyl phosphorus compounds that are metabolically stable, and water-soluble. These alkylmethylphosphonates are specific for the original nerve gases.

These are finally hydrolysed to methylphosphonate (MPA). Therefore, detecting the hydrolysis products gives indirect proof of the presence of a nerve gas.Ter tiarybutyldimethylsilylation is adopted to conver t the hydrolysis products to volatile derivatives, because its derivatisation efficiency is good, and the resulting derivatives are stable.The aqueous fraction is taken to dryness,and N-methyltert-butyldimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide and acetonitrile are added, heated at 60°C for 1 hour, and injected into GC/MS.Two kinds of GC detection are used. Mass spectrometry using electron impact ionisation (EI) and isobutane chemical ionisation (CI) provide acceptable structural and chemical information. Atomic emission detection is selective in monitoring particular elements. Molecules in the cavity are degraded to their elements, and the atomic emissions are detected under selected wavelength.Their retention indices are distinctive; EI-mass spectra provide representative fragmentation patterns, and CI-mass spectra give clear quasi-molecular ions. Using these established forensic toxicological techniques, we performed a forensic investigation on the evidence samples from the Sarin incidents.

In the Matsumoto Sarin incident, Sarin gas was sprayed to murder the local court judges, but nearby residents also became exposed to toxins. The cholinesterase (ChE) activities of all of the fatal casualties were greatly decreased compared to the control blood levels. If Sarin were to be sprayed over a garden, the Sarin left on the leaves would undergo hydrolysis, producing hydrofluoric acid, and under these strong acidic conditions, the plant leaves would wither.We examined the levels of fluoride ions in aqueous extracts of the leaves by capillary electrophoresis. Background levels were detected after we analysed control leaves from a similar area. Extraordinarily high levels of fluoride and chloride were detected in the withered leaves. At that time, we were not able to prepare authentic Sarin. However, we could confirm the existence of Sarin by the four criteria of a retention index, an electron impact (EI) mass spectrum, a CI mass spectrum, and the presence of phosphorus.

From the organic solvent extract of the pond water, a Sarin peak was detected on an extracted ion chromatograph of m/z 99, with a very similar retention index to values mentioned in reference papers.The EI-mass spectrum was identical to that of Sarin (described in the literature and in reference papers).The CI-mass spectrum yielded quasimolecular ions of m/z of 141.An atomic emission monitoring with a phosphorus emission line, at the position of m/z 99 peak in the EI-MS resulted in the observation of a phosphorus peak. Sarin was also identified in the nasal mucosa of one victim. The Nagano FSL and PHI also identified Sarin from other on-site samples of water, soil, air, and from wiped samples from the scene. From the tertbutyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) derivatised solution of various evidence samples, two peaks appeared on extracted ion chromatograms of m/z 153 and 267, with identical retention times, and the mass spectra of the reference TBDMS isopropylmethylphosphonate (IMPA) and MPA.

We have not presented quantification data for the levels of IMPA and MPA in the blood.However, the lowest detectable blood levels under GC/MS analytical conditions are 0.5 _g/ml for MPA and 1 _g/ml for IMPA. IMPA and MPA were detected from almost all the victims' blood, as well as from the blood taken from a dead dog. Diisopropylmethylphosphonate was also identified in the blood of nearly all the fatalities. The perpetrators sprayed Sarin from evaporator-type spray containers in the car park, and the released fog-like gas moved and spread, causing many residents to be poisoned. The spraying device was made from refrigerator-car equipment, and had a heating-pot and a fan.The Sarin solution used in the Matsumoto Sarin incident was synthesised by the following procedure. Isopropyl alcohol was added to a mixture of methylphosphonyl difluoride and methylphosphonyl dichloride.

But, because the choice of reaction conditions was poor, the synthetic yield was low, and reaction byproducts were produced.After storing the solution for almost 3 months, they sprayed the crude solution by means of evaporation, which was brought about by ten minutes of forced heating. High levels of Sarin hydrolysis products were detected, even from the injured people. This fact suggests that the crude Sarin solution was composed, not only of Sarin, but of other synthesis precursors and byproducts as well. In the Tokyo subway Sarin incident, the cult decided to use Sarin in trains on three subway lines, all of which stop at Kasumigaseki station near the MPD. Sarin was released in the locations.The blood samples taken at the autopsies were sent to our laboratory. A scattered distribution pattern of blood plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and red blood cell acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were observed in 11 of the fatalities. In only six victims were both ChE activities significantly decreased.They were admitted to the hospital in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest, and died immediately.

Compared to the ChE activities in the Matsumoto Sarin incident, the degree of the decrease in activity was not significant, and there were some victims in whom blood activity levels were not decreased at all. Some victims were admitted to the hospital alive, but despite the fact that extensive medical procedures were performed, including the administration of the antidote PAM, they died from brain damage at an early stage. The rather high levels of ChE activities might have been due to the early discovery of patients, which then led to rapid medical treatment, and the blood ChE activity may have been restored by the reactivation mechanism. In the Tokyo subway Sarin gas attack, Sarin-containing plastic bags were used for the indiscriminate murder of defenceless people. The perpetrators boarded the subway trains with plastic bags containing Sarin, and released the gas by prodding the bags open with the metal tips of umbrellas. At that time, we had no authentic Sarin. Therefore, we measured the Sarin content in the evidence sample, by quantifying the hydrolysed Sarin product, IMPA, by means of capillary electrophoresis.

From the analytical data of IMPA in the hydrolysed solution, the Sarin content was deduced to be about 30%. n-Hexane and N, N-diethylaniline (DEA) were also identified as major components.IMPA was detected from blood samples taken from only two of the victims. Considering the detection limit in TBDMS GC/MS analysis, blood levels of IMPA were below 1 ppm, except in the case of 2 victims.TNO Prins Maurits Laboratory in the Netherlands, using sophisticated retrospective analytical methods, detected Sarin-related compounds in the Japanese victims' blood samples.The Sarin solution used in Tokyo subway gas attack was synthesised by the following procedure. Isopropyl alcohol was added to 1.4 kg of methylphosphonyl difluoride, using n-hexane as a solvent, and DEA as an acid neutraliser. The resulting solution, about 7 litres, was divided into 11 bags. Our analytical result, of about a 30% Sarin oncentration, supports the testimony of the suspects who were arrested.

In investigating the suspicions as to how the Sarin was manufactured, our laboratory at the NRIPS and the FSL of the Tokyo MPD performed forensic investigations on hundreds of evidence samples taken from the crime scene of the suspected Sarin manufacturing location. When the police investigated the documents seized in the cult office, they discovered the synthetic route to the mass manufacture of Sarin. The process involved 5 steps. In the first step, phosphorus trichloride was reacted with methanol to produce trimethylphosphite. In the second step, trimethylphosphite was converted to imethylmethylphosphonate (DMMP) through a rearrangement caused by the application of heat. In the third step, DMMP was reacted with phosphorus pentachloride by applying heat, to produce methylphosphonyl dichloride. In the fourth step, methylphosphonyl dichloride was reacted with sodium fluoride to produce methylphosphonyl difluoride. In the final step, methylphosphonyl difluoride and methylphosphonyl dichloride were mixed with isopropyl alcohol to produce Sarin. Under the restricted conditions used by the cult members, a forensic investigation was carried out.

From the wiped samples taken from the first-step equipment, trimethylphosphate, n-hexane and DEA were detected. From the second-step equipment, trimethylphosphate,DMMP, iodine and DEA were detected. From the third-step equipment, MPA, DEA, phosphorus oxychloride and sodium chloride were detected. From the fourth-step equipment, MPA, DEA, sodium chloride and sodium fluoride were detected. From the final-step equipment, IMPA, MPA, DEA, DMMP and sodium chloride were detected. From the chemical analysis of evidence samples taken from the manufacturing plant, only stable substances corresponding to the synthetic routes have been identified, but these serve to verify the synthesis of Sarin in the Aum plant facility. Conclusion The GC/MS analysis of Sarin hydrolysis products after TBDMS derivatisation was effective for confirming Sarin exposure, usage and production, and was used as definitive evidence in the court trial.The early detection of Sarin also contributed to the speedy criminal investigation. To save the lives of severely affected victims, early and fast aid, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, may be important. In the Sarin poisoning, red blood cell AChE was inhibited more strongly than plasma BuChE.

Measuring only serum BuChE is somewhat risky, in that it can lead to a misjudgement of poisoning. The accurate identification of causative toxic substances and the verification of poisoning should be anticipated as providing evidence for the court. In addition, we must be involved in managing the consequences when an act of chemical terrorism occurs.The rapid detection of causative toxic substances is necessary, both in forensic laboratories and sometimes, if possible, at the crime scene. As specialists,we must make our contribution to helping the police investigators and other first responders by providing scientific and technical information about chemical warfare. Published in Synthesis, June 2001 Sarin Gas Attack in Tokyo Subway Sarin Gas Attack in Tokyo Subway Sarin Gas Attack in Tokyo Subway The Deadliest Terrorist Attack in Japan Tokyo, Japan metro train at platform. (Photo by Raymond Patrick / Getty Images) Share By Jennifer Rosenberg On March 20, 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo religious cult orchestrated a coordinated sarin gas attack on subway trains in Tokyo, Japan. The sarin gas killed a dozen people, injured thousands more, and is still considered the worst terrorist attack in Japan.

The Sarin Gas Attack in Tokyo On Monday, March 20, 1995, five members of the Aum Shinrikyo religious cult boarded separate subway trains in Tokyo. Each cult member carried either two or three bags of sarin in liquid form, tightly enclosed in plastic, and then wrapped in newspapers. Each also carried an umbrella. Around 8 a.m., the cult members dropped their packages onto the floor of the trains, then used the sharp end of their umbrellas to puncture holes through the plastic. As the liquid poured out of the holes, it seeped onto the train floors and started to turn into toxic sarin gas. The cult members then exited their subway trains and were picked up in pre-arranged get-away cars, leaving the sarin gas, estimated to be 500 times more potent than cyanide gas, to dissipate among the passengers that remained in the subway. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Subway Passengers Get Sick The Tokyo subway system, the busiest in the world, was packed with commuters during rush hour traffic. As the sarin gas spread, people on the trains started to become sick.

At first, passengers suffered from runny noses and watery eyes. Then blurred vision and coughing. However, not realizing that they had been exposed to sarin gas because it is odorless, many passengers stepped off the subway trains at the next train station, unaware they were helping to spread the toxic gas. Since sarin gas can cling to clothes for up to 30 minutes, these passengers spread the toxic gas throughout a number of train stations. The train engineers also did not immediately realize a toxic gas had been released on their cars; thus, many of the trains continued on to station after station. At each stop, the sarin gas poured from the trains' open doors and into the stations. The sarin gas spread to thousands of people within Tokyo's subway system. Some were lucky enough to receive only light exposure and thus suffer only from runny noses, watery eyes, blurred vision, coughing, rapid breathing, confusion, drowsiness, weakness, and headache. Others suffered from vomiting and diarrhea. Still others became paralyzed, began convulsing, went into a coma, or died. While over 5,000 people were affected, twelve died from exposure. Many victims suffered long-term effects that still haunt them.

Aum Shinrikyo: The Perpetrators In 1995, the religious cult of Aum Shinrikyo ("Supreme Truth") had approximately 40,000 members and a net worth of $1.5 billion. Founded in 1987 by Shoko Asahara, it had its basis in Buddhism, but had grown to include the Christian idea of an apocalypse in its beliefs. Believing World War III was about to begin, Aum Shinrikyo began to stockpile weapons, even building several chemical factories to manufacture biological weapons. Much of their angst was focused against the Japanese government. The March 1995 sarin attack was not the first use of biological weapons by the Aum Shinrikyo. In addition to several other unsuccessful attempts, the group is believed to have been behind a June 27, 1994 attack in the Japanese city of Matsumoto. During this attack, the group used a truck to release sarin gas into a neighborhood that housed three judges who were expected to rule against them in a court case. The attack left seven dead and about 500 more affected.

Unfortunately, because of the Aum Shinrikyo's protected religious status, the police were unable to arrest any of its members in 1994. Not so after the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo. Within 48 hours of the 1995 sarin gas attack, police raided multiple locations of the Aum Shinrikyo cult. About 100 Aum Shinrikyo members were arrested. After a number of trials, thirteen Aum Shinrikyo members were sentenced to death, including the group's leader Shoko Asahara. However, by 2010, none of these death sentences had yet been carried out.

Question: In which capital city was nerve-gas released on the Underground in 1995?
Answer: Tokyo